Reversible moving contact arrangement

ABSTRACT

A moving contact arrangement, for a relay, for example, which allows for selective normally open and normally closed contact orientation with respect to fixed contacts by rotative movement between two opposite positions of a bridging bar carrying the moving contacts about an axis substantially parallel to and coextensive with a straight line connecting the moving contacts.

[451 'July 11, 1972 [54] REVERSIBLE MOVING CONTACT 2,985,736 5/l96lCoke!etal..............,.....

ARRANGEMENT [72] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-David Smith, Jr.

Hush Kane Freepon' Anomey'-Lamont B. Koontz and Philip J. Zrimsek [73]Assignee: Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

[22] Filed:

[57] ABSTRACT A moving contact arrangement, for a relay, for example,

Aug. 5, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 61,190

which allows for selective normally open and normally closed contactorientation with respect to fixed contacts by rotative movement betweentwo opposite positions of a bridging bar [52] US. BC, 335/198 iii}$.51;'8...""m"'i;3:353:11:1:JJJJJJJJJJJJ3%'5$?3"8832?wemovinscowsabomnaxissubmnfianypm- 260 6 lel to and co-extensive with astraight line connecting the moving contacts.

IOCInkmJDnwlng figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,501,717 3/1970 Schubring et a].

REVERSIBLE MOVING CONTACT ARRANGEMENT This invention is directed to acontact arrangement for a switching device wherein a moving contactbridging bar member can be selectively positioned with respect to thefixed contacts so as to provide a normally open or normally closedcontact orientation.

In switching devices, such as relays, it is often necessary at the timeof installation or even later to select the contact orientation of eachof the poles, that is, normally open or normally closed. For thisreason, it is desirable to be able to provide the desired poleorientation in the field: using the same relay, the same poles and thesame parts; without encountering loose parts, the need for disconnectingof electrical wires from the fixed contacts and the need for specialtools; and requiring but at most nominal disassembly.

The attributes above-described are incorportated in the presentinvention which in the preferred embodiments are in the form of relays.As disclosed, a moving contact carrier supports a moving contactbridging bar which is reciprocally movable with respect to fixedcontacts to provide the switching function and rotably movable withrespect to the fixed contacts to provide changes in contact orientation.Thus, as to the latter, the moving contact bridging bar is arranged tobe rotated without the need of special tools while inplace in the movingcontact carrier about an axis which is parallel to and co-extensive witha straight line which extends between the moving contacts. This rotationpositions the moving contact bridging bar so as to change the conditionof the moving contacts with respect to the fixed contacts from normallyopen to normally closed or vice versa. Because of the manner of rotatingthe moving contact bridging bar with respect to the fixed contacts, anarrangement can be provided wherein no disassembly of the moving contactcarrier from the remainder of the structure, with the attendant looseparts, or disconnecting of the electrical wiring is required.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a moving contactarrangement for a switching device which can be easily converted betweennormally open and normally closed orientation wherein at most a minimumof disassembly of the structure is involved, where no disconnecting ofthe electrical wiring is necessary, where no loose or different partsare involved and which requires no special tools.

This and other objects will become apparent from a reading of thefollowing specification and claims when viewed with the drawing inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a switching device in the form of arelay in which the present invention finds application;

FIG. 2 is a perspective partial explosion view of the partiallydisassembled relay of FIG. 1 wherein details of the invention arevisible;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the moving contact carrierof FIG. 2 taken along the lines 33 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a relay of the type shown inFIG. 1 incorporating a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective explosion view of the moving contactcarrier of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the relay of FIG. 4 with the moving contactbridging bars in various stages of rotation to bring about a change incontact orientation; and

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the lines 7-7 ofFIG. 6 with the moving contact bridging bars in positions correspondingto that of FIG. 6.

A multi-pole relay I0 shown assembled in FIG. I and partiallydisassembled in FIG. 2 includes a base member 12 having a cavity 120 inwhich a magnetic frame member, not shown, is secured and a coil, notshown, is disposed. Pivotally associated and appropriately secured atthe lower portions of the base member 12 are a pair of bifurcatedhousing members l4and 16, the upper portions of which are arranged tooverlay the cavity 12a when in the assembled condition. The housingmembers 14 and 16 support a plurality of first terminal members 18 eachof which include a fixed contact portion 18a and further support coiltenninals I9. Disposed between the housing members 14 and I6 andarranged for association and relative inward and outward reciprocalmovement therewith and with said base member 12 is an assembly 20comprised of an armature, not shown, a bias plate 22 and a bifurcatedmoving contact carrier 24. A plurality of U-shaped moving contactbridging bars 26 are supported by the moving contact carrier 24, and theextremities are arranged when in the assembled condition for associationwith a respective pair of fixed contact portions 18a to provide theswitching function. The moving contact carrier 24 and the armature, notshown, are suitably secured together with the bias plate 22 resilientlydisposed therebetween for limited relative reciprocal movement therewithas will become apparent below.

In the assembled condition, as shown in FIG. 1, the bias plate 22 isseated on the posts 12b and of the base member 12 and overlaid by theprojections 14a and 16a of the housing members 14 and 16, respectively,so as to be maintained as a prisoner therebetween. Further, in theassembled condition, the leg portions 240 of the moving contact carrier24 are guided in slots 12d of the base member 12 and between oppositeguide surfaces 14b and 16b of the housing members 14 and 16,respectively, so as to allow for reciprocal movements of the carrier andthe armature, not shown, toward and away from the magnetic frame, notshown, upon the energization and de-energization of the coil, not shown.Inward reciprocal movement of the moving contact carrier 24 from the atrest position, shown in FIG. 1, upon energization results in relativemovement with the bias plate 22 and the generation of a return forcecaused by spring means, not shown, disposed therebetween beingcompressed. Consequently, outward reciprocal movement uponde-energization is provided by the return force. Such reciprocalmovements of course cause a change in the condition of the poles formedof the respective sets of fixed contact portions 18a and bridging bars26.

The foregoing general description is merely to set a framework for theinvention and as such forms no real part of it. The inventive concept isset forth below.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 2, it will be appreciated that themoving contact carrier 24 includes four substantially cylindrical,stepped, through openings 24b in which the bridging bars 26 aredisposed. Each of the bridging bars 26 is supported in an assembly 28comprised of a substantially cylindrical, shouldered, hollow sleeve 30having a bottom opening, not shown, coil spring 32, T-shaped hollowspring retainer 34 and end piece 36. Each assembly 28 is located in oneof the stepped openings 24b of the moving contact carrier 24 as bestshown in FIG. 3.

In initial assembly, the spring retainer 34 is disposed within and theextremity 34a thereof extends through and beyond the top opening 300 ofthe sleeve 30. Further, the bridging bar 26 and the spring 32 aredisposed within the sleeve 30 so that the bridging bar is opposite thespring retainer 34 and the spring is disposed therebetween. A firstextremity of the bridging bar 26 passes through the opening 30b of thesleeve 30. Thereupon the shouldered sleeve 30 with the assembledelements just referred to is slidably disposed in a stepped opening 24bof the moving contact carrier 24. End piece 36 is secured to the sleeve30 when in place in the opening 24b by plastically deforming tabs 300which extend through apertures 36a provided in the end piece. As soconstructed, the second extremity of the bridging bar 26 passes throughthe slot 36b provided in end piece 36. While each assembly 28 is thussecured in place with respect to lateral movement in the moving contactcarrier 24, rotative movement thereof about the longitudinal axes of theopenings 24b is permitted. To properly locate the assembly 28 in the twoextreme positions which allow for the normally open and normally closedcontact orientation, positioning means are provided. Thus, oppositelylocated depressions 24d are provided in the side walls of the steppedopenings 24b for detent association with resilient fingers 360 of theend pieces 36.

It should be noted in passing that as shown in FIG. 3, extremity 34a isdisposed in opening 24c of the moving contact carrier 24 for engagementwith a protrusion, not shown, of the bias plate 22 upon inwardreciprocal movement of the moving contact carrier. This constructionwhich is known in the prior art allows for equalization of force loadingas seen by the magnetic structure whether a normally open or a normallyclosed contact orientation is involved. It will be appreciated that inthe rotative process to bring about a normally closed contactorientation, the extremity 34a of the spring retainer 34 enters theopening 240 of the moving contact carrier as shown in FIG. 3. Further,where a normally open contact orientation is brought about, theextremity 34a is forced out of the opening as the cam surface 34bengages the side wall of the opening 24c causing movement of the springretainer 32 toward the bridging bar resulting in a compression of spring32.

Rotative movement of an assembly 28 with the relay in the condition ofFIG. 2 is brought about by means of a screwdriver bit or similar toolbeing introduced in the slot provided between protrusions d on the endface of the sleeve 30 and turning the same. Because of the proportionsof the elements of the assembly 28, rotation of the assembly results inthe bridging bar 26 assuming one of two positions, that is, normallyopen or normally closed, with respect to the fixed contact portions 18awhen the relay 10 is assembled as shown in FIG. 1.

The desired positioning of the assemblies 28 can take place prior toinstallation of the relay 10 to provide the desired condition of each ofthe poles or it can take place after installation when already wired. Inboth cases, a nominal disassembly of the relay 10 to the condition shownin FIG. 2 and the exposure of the moving contact carrier 24 andassociated assemblies 28 is all that is necessary to allow the desiredrotative positioning tobe brought about. It is apparent that where therelay 10 is wired no disconnecting of wires is required due to thepivotal manner of association of the housing members 14 and I6 with thebase member 12 coupled with the location of the terminal members 18 andcoil terminals 19 thereon and the rather small movement encounteredthereby in such disassembly. To limit the movement of the housingmembers 14 and 16 with respect to the base member 12 during suchdisassembly and to preclude disassociation of the assembly 20 from theremainder of the relay 10 during such disassembly, the housing memberscan be limited in opening pivotal movement with respect to the basemember by appropriate means so that the armature, not shown, can notclear the gap thus provided between the upper portions of the housingmembers.

With the relay 10 of FIGS. 1-3, an arrangement is provided which allowsfor change in contact orientation with the attributes above set forthalthough a nominal disassembly is involved. If it is desired to providesuch an arrangement without any disassembly, attention is directed tothe following.

Relay as shown in FIG. 4 is for all practical purposes the same as thatshown in FIG. 1 except for the moving contact carrier 42. Thus themoving contact carrier 42 includes means exposed proximate the topsurface thereof which allow for rotation of the moving contact bridgingbars to change contact orientation with respect to the fixed contactportions between normally open and normally closed without anydisassembly of the relay 40 being required as will become apparent fromthe following explanation with respect to FIGS. 5-7.

Turning initially to FIG. 5, the moving contact carrier 42 includes fourstepped through openings 42a in each of which an assembly 46 is arrangedto be disposed. Each assembly 46 includes a moving contact bridging bar26, coil spring 32, T- shaped hollow spring retainer 34 and end piece36, all of which are identical with the same numbered elements of FIGS.2 and 3. Further included in the assembly 46 is a substantiallycylindrical hollow sleeve 48 generally the same as sleeve 30 of FIGS. 2and 3 except for the inclusion of an integral gear sector 48a near thejournal 48b thereof. Also included in the assembly 46 are a support 50formed of a resilient plastic material and a driving gear 52 includingteeth 520. In initial assembly the bridging bar 26, the spring 32,spring retainer 34 and the end piece 36 are associated with the sleeve48 in exactly the same manner as the corresponding elements areassociated with the sleeve 30 of FIGS. 2 and 3. Following this, theshaft 52b of driving gear 52 is disposed in and through the opening 500of the support 50 so that surface 520 of the gear engages lower surface50b of the support. Thereupon the sleeve 48 with the assembled elementsis located with respect to the support 50 so that surface 48c of thesleeve engages surface 500 of the support with the journal 48b of thesleeve slidably disposed in the opening 50d of the support. Suchassembly causes driving engagement between the teeth 48a of the sleeve48 and the teeth 52a of the driving gear 52. It should be noted that theresilience of the support 50 is relied upon to allow the drivingengagement to take place; that is, the top portion and the downwardlyextending portions of the support are spread apart during assembly toallow the teeth 48a of of the sleeve 48 and the teeth 52a of the drivinggear 52 to interengage. After assembly and upon the forementionedportions of the support return to their normal position, the sleeve 48and the driving gear 52 are maintained assembled and in proper relativeposition.

After the foregoing has been accomplished, the assembly 46 can beaccommodated in an opening 42a of the moving contact carrier 42 by asliding enterengagement therebetween whereby clevis extremities 50e ofthe support 50 are forced together so as to allow notches 50f to beassociated with protrusions 42a of the moving contact carrier. Thisinterengagement locates and positions the assembly 46 in place in themoving contact carrier 42. Also aiding in locating and positioning theassembly 46 in place is shoulder 420 provided in the opening 44 againstwhich surface 48a of the sleeve 48 bears. To properly locate theassemblies 46 in the two extreme positions which allows for normallyopen and normally closed contact orientation, the same expedientutilized inFlGS. 2 and 3, that is, depressions 24d in the moving contactcarrier 24 and resilient fingers 36c of the end piece, can be utilized.Alternatively the extreme positions can be determined by means whichpositively limit movement. Thus in the arrangement of FIG. 5 the gearsector 48a of the sleeve 48 is of such a length and so located as to notallow the extreme positions to be exceeded. Friction between the teeth48a of the sleeve 48 and the teeth 52a of the driving gear 52 inhibitcasual relative movement.

With the assemblies 46 in place in the moving contact carrier 42 asshown in FIG. 5, the carrier can be associated with the relay 40 asshown in FIG. 4. When so associated, it will be appreciated that theexposed extremity of the shaft 52b of the driving gear 52 can be engagedand rotated by a tool, such as a screwdriver for example, or manually,where properly formed. Rotation of the shaft 52a causes rotation of thedriving gear 52 with the consequent rotation of the sleeve 48 due to thedriving engagement between the teeth 52a of the driving gear and theteeth 48a of the sleeve. Such rotation of course results in changing theorientation of the bridging bars 26 with respect to the fixed contactportions of the terminals.

In FIGS. 6 relay 40 is shown in partial plan view without the terminalmembers in place and the bridging bars 26 undergoing rotation from anormally closed to a normally open orientation as the assemblies 46 areviewed from left to right. It will be noted that housing members 54 and56 have outer walls 54a and 56a, barriers 54b and 56b and center walls540 and 560 so proportioned and located as to accommodate the rotationof the bridging bars 26. Further, referring to FIG. 7, the fixed contactportions 58 of the terminal members are so proportioned and locatedbetween the walls and the barriers of the housing members 54 and 56 asto allow rotation of the bridging bars 26 thereabout. In FIG. 7, degreesof rotation of the assemblies 46 correspond to that of the bridging bars26 directly thereabove as shown in FIG. 6; that is, the orientation ischanged progressively from a normally closed to a normally openconfiguration.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the contact orientation of relay40 can be changed between normally open and normally closed positionswithout any disassembly of the relay.

While I have disclosed two preferred embodiments of my invention, otherforms are possible and therefore the scope of my invention should bedetermined from the following claims.

I claim:

1. A movable contact arrangement for a switch device comprising: amoving contact carrier arranged for reciprocating movement with respectto a switch housing; said carrier supporting a moving contact bridgingbar assembly for association with spaced, fixed contact surfaces locatedproximate either extremity of said bridging bar and supported by thehousing; the contact surfaces of said bridging bar and the fixed contactsurfaces extending substantially transverse to the direction of movementof said carrier; said assembly being rotatable in place and with respectto said carrier about an axis substantially parallel to and co-extensivewith a straight line connecting the contact surfaces of said bridgingbar so as to relocate the bridging bar with respect to the fixed contactsurfaces and thereby selectively provide a normally open or a normallyclosed contact orientation.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said bridging bar moving contactassembly includes a sleeve which is disposed in an opening contactcarrier so as to allow for rotation of said assembly about the axis tothereby cause relocation of said bridging bar.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein said sleeve and said opening aresubstantially cylindrical.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein said sleeve includes means to beengaged for causing the rotation thereof.

5. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said means comprises a toolengaging portion provided on an end face of said sleeve which issubstantially parallel with the plane of movement of said moving contactcarrier.

6. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said means comprises a first gearportion associated with said sleeve, a second gear portion in drivingengagement with said first gear and including an extension disposed soas to be engageable proximate a surface of said moving contact carrierwhich is substantially transverse to the plane of its movement.

7. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said engagement means is operablefrom without said switch housing with said moving contact carrierremaining in place with respect to the housing and the fixed contactsurfaces thereof to cause the contact surfaces of said bridging bar tobe rotated about the fixed contact surfaces.

8. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein positioning means are provided topositively locate said bridging bar moving contact assembly in saidmoving contact carrier in the two extreme positions which allows for thenormally open and normally closed contact orientations.

9. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the positioning means are in theform of stops disposed between said moving contact carrier and saidbridging bar moving contact assembly.

10. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the positioning means are in theform of detents disposed between said moving contact carrier and saidbridging bar moving contact assembly.

1. A movable contact arrangement for a switch device comprising: amoving contact carrier arranged for reciprocating movement with respectto a switch housing; said carrier supporting a moving contact bridgingbar assembly for association with spaced, fixed contact surfaces locatedproximate either extremity of said bridging bar and supported by thehousing; the contact surfaces of said bridging bar and the fixed contactsurfaces extending substantially transverse to the direction of movementof said carrier; said assembly being rotatable in place and with respectto said carrier about an axis substantially parallel to and coextensivewith a straight line connecting the contact surfaces of said bridgingbar so as to relocate the bridging bar with respect to the fixed contactsurfaces and thereby selectively provide a normally open or a normallyclosed contact orientation.
 2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein saidbridging bar moving contact assembly includes a sleeve which is disposedin an opening contact carrier so as to allow for rotation of saidassembly about the axis to thereby cause relocation of said bridgingbar.
 3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein said sleeve and said openingare substantially cylindrical.
 4. The arrangement of claim 3 whereinsaid sleeve includes means to be engaged for causing the rotAtionthereof.
 5. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said means comprises atool engaging portion provided on an end face of said sleeve which issubstantially parallel with the plane of movement of said moving contactcarrier.
 6. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said means comprises afirst gear portion associated with said sleeve, a second gear portion indriving engagement with said first gear and including an extensiondisposed so as to be engageable proximate a surface of said movingcontact carrier which is substantially transverse to the plane of itsmovement.
 7. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said engagement means isoperable from without said switch housing with said moving contactcarrier remaining in place with respect to the housing and the fixedcontact surfaces thereof to cause the contact surfaces of said bridgingbar to be rotated about the fixed contact surfaces.
 8. The arrangementof claim 2 wherein positioning means are provided to positively locatesaid bridging bar moving contact assembly in said moving contact carrierin the two extreme positions which allows for the normally open andnormally closed contact orientations.
 9. The arrangement of claim 8wherein the positioning means are in the form of stops disposed betweensaid moving contact carrier and said bridging bar moving contactassembly.
 10. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the positioning meansare in the form of detents disposed between said moving contact carrierand said bridging bar moving contact assembly.